1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flexible exhaust duct and more particularly to a system of flexible and rigid parts of an exhaust duct and means for attaching the duct to a clothes dryer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In clothes dryers, a source of heat sufficient to dry the wet clothes in the dryer is drawn through the dryer by a blower. After the heat has been drawn through the dryer containing the clothes, it is necessary to vent the heated and humid air. To this end, an air exhaust conduit is provided that extends from the blower housing within the cabinet of the dryer to an area outside the dryer. For example, it is known to extend the air exhaust conduit from the cabinet to a window so that the heated air is vented outdoors.
Due to the construction of the basement or other location where the consumer may locate the dryer, it may be necessary or desirable to extend the air exhaust conduit from a specific side, rear or bottom of the dryer. To this end, plugged apertures are provided in the dryer cabinet side walls, rear walls and bottom wall to permit the consumer to move the exhaust conduit to exit through the appropriate panel as required by the particular installation characteristics.
Since the distance and direction from the blower exhaust opening to each of the panel apertures is different, it is necessary to provide a means for directing the exhaust air from the blower to each of the exhaust outlets. Rigid conduit is not useful since generally it is required to have a 90.degree. turn for the side or bottom openings but a straight flow path for the rear opening. Therefore, this would require the user to assemble or disassemble an elbow within the limited access area within the dryer cabinet. To do so would most likely require removal of one or more of the panels to provide greater access for the required manipulations of the exhaust conduit. Preferably flexible exhaust ducts would be used.
Flexible exhaust ducts are known which are comprised of rigid end pipes attached to flexible corrugated tubing such as aluminum tubing. The connections between the end pipes and the flexible tubing has been accomplished in a variety of manners including securing the two members together by wrapping the joint with an adhesive tape, securing the two members together with metallic staples extending through the two pieces or by applying an adhesive between the two pieces to secure them together. Each of these methods has serious disadvantages, particularly where the exhaust duct is used in an environment such as a clothes dryer where the exhaust will include lint particles and air at an elevated temperature.
For example, the staple method of attachment results in protruding ends of the staples extending into the exhaust air flow stream which serve as collection points for the lint particles resulting in an accumulation of lint at that location which eventually results in restriction or blockage of the conduit. In addition to reduction in efficiency of the dryer due to reduced air flow, the accumulation of lint can increase the possibility of overheating. Similar problems develop with the use of adhesives and tape to secure the members together in that if a zone of adhesive material is exposed to the air stream, lint will collect at that zone and will result in an accumulation of lint as described above. Also, such a joint may fail over time either due to improper initial application of the adhesive or breakdown of the adhesive due to the high temperature environment of a dryer exhaust duct. Also, in each of these instances an edge of either the flexible conduit or end pipes remains exposed in the air stream and also serves as a catch point for lint.
Other problems develop with multi-venting installations in that movement of the conduit from one panel opening to another causes movement at the joint between the conduit and the blower exhaust opening which may cause a leak to develop at that joint. If a leak develops there, then hot, moist, lint-ladened air will be directed into the interior of the cabinet which could result in damage to various components within the dryer cabinet including the motor and controls. Attachment of the free end of the conduit to the panel through which the end piece projects also is critical so as to prevent the end piece from falling into the interior of the cabinet.